Apparatus for sowing seeds



1952 G. HYL ENCAVALLIUS 2,615,408

APPARATUS FOR SOWING SEEDS 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Sept. 3, 1949INVENTOR. osta [[ylicn-Uawlhus Oct. 28, 1952 G. HYLTEN-CAVALLIUSAPPARATUS FOR SOWING SEEDS 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Sept. '5, 1949INVENTOR.

6052a jifqlicn (m 0221M HGEMTS.

1952 G. HYLTEIN-CAVALLIUS APPARATUS FOR sowmc sEEps Filed Sept. 5, 19493 SheetsSheet 3 jmya.

- I INVENTOR.

60s in Hy/im (avalllas fl/ g I Z L/ Y HOENTS.

Patented Oct. 28, 1952 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE- ApplicationSeptember 3, 1949, Serial No. 113,963

r In Sweden September 3, 1948 12 Claims. (Cl. 11178) The presentinvention relates to an apparatus for sowing seed comprising a seed drumrotatably mounted in the frame of the apparatus and having outlets alongits circumference, said drum being mounted in a housing provided with atleast one aperture or recess through which the seed corns coming fromthe outlets can be led to a sowing chute. I 7

Apparatus of this type are known which comprise a cylindrical housing inwhich a seed drum i mounted being in connection with a storage tank forthe seed and being rotatably mounted. In the wall of this drum a row ofoutlets is provided, and in the housingthere is an aperture leading to asowing chute, over the lower edge of which aperture theoutlets in theseed drum discharge the seed mass in the form of individual I These andother features of the invention will appear from the followingdescription of some embodiments of the apparatus according to theinvention with reference to the drawings, in which Figs. 1 and 2 are twoelevations perpendicular to one another of an embodiment of theapparatus according to th invention,

Fig. 3 a side elevation of a seed drum,

Fig. 4 a cross section along the line 4-4 in Fig. 3,

Fig. 5 a cross section along the line 5-5 in Fig. 3,

Fig. 6 at a larger scale a section along the line 66 in Fig. 2,

Fig. 7 an outer view of part of a second em- 7 bodiment of the seeddrum,

for a more or less dense sowing unless the seed drum be exchanged byanother drum having the outlets spaced differently apart. I

The object of the invention is to provide an apparatus for sowing seedof the above type in which it is possible, in connection with most typesof seed met with including grain, and legumes, to control the dischargedamount of seed within ample limits.

The apparatus according to the invention is essentially characterized byan adjustable overflow edge by means of whichthe level atwhich theaperture of the housing uncovers the outlets can be adjusted. I It hasbeen found that by adjusting said level a control of the sowing amountis simultaneously obtained.

According to the invention the overflow edge may preferably consist ofthe lower edge of the aperture in the housing when this is pivotallymounted concentric with the seed drum so that when swinging the housingconcentric with the seed drum during adjustment of the housing anadjustment of the level of said overflow edge is simultaneouslyobtained.

According to the invention the overflow edge may also consist of onefree edge of a special guide plate mounted between the housing and theseed drum so that the housing itself may be firmly connected to theframe of the apparatus and the adjustment may be made by adjusting saidguide plate. 7, l I

a 4 or in any other suitable manner.

Fig. 8 a longitudinal section through a third embodiment of the seeddrum,

Fig. 9 a longitudinal section through another embodiment of theapparatus according to the invention, and

Fig. 10 a section along the line l0l I] in Fig. 9.

The apparatus shown in Figs. 1-to 5 comprises a frame I on which issecured a storage tank 2, a sowing chute 3 and an operating member inthe form of a short pipe 4 for a handle 5.

A wheel 6 and an interchangeable seed drum 8 connected to the wheel 6 bymeans of a shaft 1 are rotatably mounted in the frame I. The drum 8 issurrounded by a pivotally mounted and axially slidable case or housing 9provided with an aperture [0 and a recess I I. On the housing 9, whichdoes not rotate with the seed drum 8, a bell crank lever I2 is secured.At its lower edge said lever has threenotches l3, I4 and I5 forengagement with the free end 16 of a rod I! which in said positionengages the lever 12 by means of a groove formed between twoenlargements on th rod end. The rod I! is carried through holes I 8 inthe pipe 4. The part of the rod I! extending through the pipe 4 isthreaded at [9 to engage with a block 20 having a threaded hole andbeing pivotally mounted in the pipe 4 by means of two pins 21 mounted inthe wall of the pipe Through an arm or disc 23 secured to the block 20said block is influenced by a coil spring 22 also mounted in the pipe 4.By means of a setting wheel 24 the rod I! may be rotated and therebyscrewed more or less off relatively to the block. Owing to the pivotingof the block 20 the rod I7; may itself oscillate but is ordinarily heldby the spring 22 in engagement with the lever l2.

The seed drum 8 removably mounted on the shaft] I is in the embodimentshown provided with three rows of outlets 25, 26 and 21. The outlets inthe row 25 are dimensioned for sowing for instance cabbage seed or seedof like size. The outlets 25 are dimensioned for sowing radish seed orseed of similar size, etc. At one open end the seed drum 8 surrounds anannular flange 29 secured to the lower portion of the storage tank 2.Said annular flange partially limits an aperture 30 in the wall of thetank 2, said aperture, which essentially has the shape of a sector of acircle, being provided for connecting the storage tank to the hollow-space 3| of the seed drum. At the other end of the seed drum, which isclosed by a wall 32; a hole 33"is provided through which the free :endof the shaft 7 extends. turned down to a smaller diameter than the otherpart of the shaft so as to form a shoulder against which the wall 32 ofthe seed drum can bear so asto'fix the position of the seed drum on theshaft. The end 34 of the shaft 1 is threaded for a wingnut 35 or likeclamping member by means 'of which the seeddrum may be clamped to theshaft 1.

' The outlets of the cylinder 8 are made by boring radial holes and thenchamfering one edge of said holes outwardly asat 35, forinstance bymilling.

The embodiment of theapparatus according to the invention as abovedescribed is substantially adapted for sowing in forcing frames or likeplaces. During the use the apparatus is drawn in the direction indicatedby the arrow 3'8, pins or ribs 38 on the wheel 6 thereby sinking downinto the bed so thatthe wheel 6, the shaft 1, andthe seed drum 8 clampedon-the shaft by means of thewingnut '35are caused to rotate. The storagetank contains the seed to be sown which through the aperture 30 runs"into the hollow space in the seed drum 8. The-aperture 38 only permitsof sormuch seed entering the drum at a time that a certain approximatelyconstant level is maintained therein. When rotating the seed drum 8 inthe direction indicated by the arrow 39 the'outlets 4G will receive seedcorn, cf. Fig. 6, and carry the latter upwards so that the seed willpass over the lower edge 4| of'the aperture I andfall down into thechute 3.

As explained above the seed'drum in this embodiment has three rows ofoutlets 25, 26 and 21 for sowing seed of different types. In theposition'shown in Figs. 1 and 2 the apparatus is so set as to sow fromthe outlets in the row 25, i. e. the row adapted'to sow for instancecabbage seed. The setting of the apparatus for sowing from the variousrows of outlets separately is enabled by the housing 9 being axiallyslida-I ble so that the aperture In or the recess I I may be caused touncover some of the outlets in the row to be used in each individualcase, thus in the present case some of theoutlets of the row 25. Thehousing 9 is held in the set position owing to the engagement of the rodI! in one of the notches l3, l4 or I5 in the bell cranklever [2. If itis desired aftersowing cabbage seed to sow for instance radish seed, thepivoted rod I! is carried in the direction indicated'by the arrow 42,see Fig. 1, against the action of the spring 22. The housing 9 isthereby released so as to slide in the direction indicated by the arrow43, see Fig. 2, to a position in which the free end It of the rod I1 mayengage with the notch l5 in the lever I2. The housing 9v will now be insuch a position that the aperture [0 is opposite tothe outlets .in therow 25corresponding to radish The free end 34 of the;.shaft I is,

sowing, whereas the outlets in the other rows are covered by the housingso that no seed can be discharged through these outlets into the sowingchute.

If the apparatus shall be used for sowing seed through the outlets inthe row 21, the housing 9 is displaced so far in a direction oppositethat of the arrow 43 "that the recess II will uncover the outlets 21. Inthis position the free end N5 .of the rod l'l engages with the notch ISin the lever [2.

The seed drum may easily be interchanged with another seed drum forsowing other types of seed, and for-this purpose the wing nut 35 isscrewed 01f from the shaft '1 so that the seed drum .8cbecomes free andmay be taken out in order that another seed drum of the same diameterbut having outlets of different dimensions can be mounted on the shaftand clamped thereto by means of the wing nut 35.

The setting of the apparatus for varying the amounts of seed to besownwill be further 'described in the following. The amount of seedcarried out through the outlets in the seed drum to the sowing chute isdetermined by the position of the lower edges 4| and 44 respectively ofthe aperture 10 or the recess l l relatively to the seed level in theseed drum. By turning the housing 9 so that the edge 4| or 44 isupwardly or downwardly displaced the amount "of seed to be sown perunitof length may be regulated within ample limits. As anexample it maybe stated that'with a certain-setting the apparatus will sow an amountof seeds and with another setting up to [5a. "The wide range ofregulating the amount of sowing seed'will be further explained in thefollowing. I

The amount of seed-in the seed drum is indicated'by the dotted line 49.In fact the seed level is not horizontal when the apparatus is in usebut sloping with its'top point at the arising side of the seed drum.Assume that the overflow edge 4| or 44 of the aperture It or recess llof the-housing 9 is so positioned as to lie'below the level line 49, theoutlets moving between the overflow edge and the seed level will notonly deliver'the amount of seed carried along-by the outlets-duringrotation of the seed cylinder, but also seed flowing out through theoutletsso long as'the latter-are moving in the seedbelow the level line.The more the housingQisrotatedso astoapproach the overflow edge to thelevel line, the less seed will flow out through the outlets to'thesowing chute. If 'the housing is turned still farther so that theoverfiowedge arises above the level line, only the seed carried along bythe outlets will be delivered to the :chute, and instill higherpositions of the overflow edge-some of the'se'ed corns willv fall backinto the seed drum'so that only a few seed corns will be delivered tothe chute. Thus the apparatus provides for a scattered sowing. Whetherthe apparatus. offers a scattered or dense-sowing it has beenfound toprovide for a uniform sowing;

The turning and setting of theh'ousing 9 ismade-bymeans of the rotatablerod I1. When rotated in either direction the'rod I! will belongitudinally displaced because it is threaded scale 45$: IH-Eig'." 7a: special embodiment OfthGSBBd cylinder is shown. In this embodiment.-two rows of outlets 46 and 41 are closely juxtapositedbut with theoutlets in staggered relation to one another. Two such juxta'positedrows of outlets simultaneously receiving seed anddelivering the sameover the-edge of an aperture shown in' dotted lines in the housingsurrounding'the seed drum, are intended for use when the amount of seedto be sown for various reasons is desired to be rather great. Of coursethe-two co-operating rows of outlets may be placed so The design of theseed drum may vary w ithin ample limits without exceeding the scope. ofin vention. To enable group sowing by means of the apparatus a seed drummay for instance be provided With a ro-w having only few outlets,probably only a single outlet, discharging the seed in portions with asuitable distance between the portions so as to sow groups of plants.The outlet. or outlets should in this case have a relatively largediameter so as to receive more seed corns at a time and simultaneouslydischarge the same through the outlets. The number of seed cornsreceived and discharged through theoutlet. or outlets may be regulatedby the above mentioned adjustment of the level of the overflow edge.

For some types of seed, such asforinstance legumes, the-Walls of theseed drum mustbe.

relatively thick in order to give the outlets the necessary depth so asto form, together with a considerable chamfering of the outlets,sufficiently big pockets for receiving for instance peas.

For other types of seed, for instance cucumber seed the inner side oftheseed drum must be provided with spoons near one edge of the outletsfor receiving the cucumber seed separately or in portions in the form ofseed groups, and for discharging the same through the outlets. The abovementioned thickness of the seed drum wall varying according to the sizeof the seed may also be had in a single seed drum as shown in Fig. 8,when said seed drum is so designed that its inner wallisfltapered insuch a manner as to be thickest near the row of outlets having thegreatest diameter and decreasing towards the row of outlets havin thesmallest diameter.: It is hereby simultaneously obtained that duringrotation of the seed drum the small seed-will be liable to move towardsthe outlets with the small diameter, thus facilitating a completeemptying of the seed drum.

The seed drum must also be provided with tw or more rows of outlets ofthe same size and so arranged that seed is simultaneously received anddischarged over an overflow edge into two or more sowingchutes. In thiscase the apparatus will sow two or more rows at the same time.

The seed drum may be fixed to the shaft 1 in various other manners thanthe above described.

The housing surrounding the seed drum may be so designed as to cover thelower half only or somewhat more of the seed drum, and to be forcedsomewhat apart from the seed drum against the action of springs. Thisdesign is preferable when probable impurities in the seedenter the spacebetween the seed drum and the housing, because such impurities will notbecome jammed between the seed drum and the housing when the latter isresiliently mounted, and thereby not oppose the operation of theapparatus but will be automatically' discharged during rotation oftheseed? drum.

The parts rows which shall not discharge seed into the chute, need noteither necessarily be integral with the housing but maybe in the form ofstrips or. flaps mounted pivotally, slidably or removably on thehousing. In this case it is not necessary that thehousing is axiallyslidable because the rows of -outlets, which must be completely coveredin. order to become ineffective, may be covered bythestrips or flapsslidably or removably mounted Y on the housing.

The free aperture above the overflow edge must be so-long that the seedcan leave the outlets in the seed drum without being jammed between theother edge of the aperture in the housing parallel to'the overflow edge,and the seed drum;

The housing surrounding the seed drum may also be designed in variousother manners. The design of the housing depends upon the number ofrowsof outlets provided in the seed drum, and

whether these rows are intended to work separately, in pairs orsimultaneously for receiving the seed and discharge the same over theoverflow edge through an aperture or recess in the housing to one ormore sowing chutes or like mem-- bersa If the rows of outlets providedin the seed drum are intended to separately receive and discharge seedto a sowing chute or like member, the housing may be designed asdescribed above and shown in the drawings. The aperture orrecess'forming the two overflow edges may be replaced by two aperturesor recesses providing the necessary overflow edges. The overflow edgemay also extend freely from one edge of the housing to the other, andthe row or rows ofoutlets which shall not discharge seed into the sowingchute maybe covered by the above mentioned.

I been in the form of the lower edge of the aperture or recess in thehousing which at the same time has been pivotally mounted. However, the

housing may be mounted so on the frame as not to be rotated, and theoverflow edge may consist of one edge of aspecial member slidablymounted on the housing. This is the case in the embodiment shown inFigs. 9 and 10 where the housing evenis rigidly connected to the frame,the mutual displacement between the seed drum and the housing being hereeffected by an axial displacement of the seed drum.

In the embodiment shown in Figs. 9 and 10 the housing 9 is integral withor rigidly connected to the storage tank 2, the sowing chute 3 and thepipe 4 for the handle 5. The shaft 1 is journalled in the same manner asin the embodiment according to Figs. 1 to 5 and carries also the wheel6.

The free end 49 of the shaft 1 is, however, in the embodiment shown inFigs. 9 and 10 formed with a square head and carried through the squarehole v33 in the end wall 32o-f the seed drum'8 pivotally mounted in thehousing 9. Thus the seed drum is forced to rotate with the shaft 1 butmay also slide along said shaft. To fix the seed drum in the setposition, i. e. in a position in which either of the rows of outlets 25,26 and 21 of the housing covering the outlet.

is aopposite to therapertuie l in :the housing 9 three holes 50, and 52are provided in the square head 49 of ithexshaft [for engagement with apin. 53 :slidably mounted "ontheend wall 32Jof the seed-.drum' 8. Thepin 53 is held in position by means of acompression spring54 insertedbetween the upper end of the pin 53 bent in .thejform of a handle, and.aprojection 55 on the wall 32. This embodiment also comprises the.

flange :29. serving as a guide for the inneropen end oftheseed drumandhaving such alength that said end of the seed. drummay engage theflange irrespectively of the position in which the seed drum is set. V a

In the inner wall of the housings and opposite to the aperture an:annular'groove :55 is. pro- Vided being somewhat larger than theaperture,

[0 and having slidably;'mountedtherein a guide plate 51 concentric withthe seed .drum, theends of said plate having a distance corresponding tothe length of the aperture 10 To the upper end of said guideplate'ascrew 58 is secured which'is carried through acircumferentialslit 59 formed in the housing 9 opposite to the groove 56so that by means of the screw 58the guide plate 51 may be displaced inthe groove 56: On the free end of the screw 58 a .finger'nut Bil ismounted which may serve partly as a handle, partly for clamping theguide plate in set posi- .tion.

By means of the handle'fit and thescreW-SB.

the guide plate 51 may therefore be so displaced in the groove 56 thatits lower edge 6'! operating.

relatively thereto may be made in many other ways than those described.The guide plate 51, may also be designed invarious. other: manners thanthat shown in the drawings. For-instance this guide plate may be giventhe iormrof ,a special cylinder totally surrounding the seed drumandhaving 1 an aperture corresponding; to :the' aperture in the housing,the lower edgeo-fzsaid aperture forming the overflowedgee In this :"casethe guide plate ought to have such a widthathat irrespectivelyof the rowof outlets cbeing opposite to the aperture It in the housing :9, it willalways cover the other rows of outlets so thattnorseed may force its wayinto the space between the seed drum and the housing. Th guide platedescribed withreference to Figs. 9 and 10 may. also be used inconnection with an axiallyslidable housing :9 and-anot slid-l able seeddrum; 7 v

I claimz' 1. An apparatus-for sowing seeds having a frame, ahseed drum.rotatably mounted in the frameand having outlets along .itscircumference, a-rhousing closelysurroundingthe drum and having: atleast. one aperture positioned to receive 1 seedslcoming from the drumoutlets, .asowing chute communicating with the housing aperture,theprovision of said housing aperture having .a bottom overflow edge,and means vfor adjusting the overflow edge of the'housing aperture toadjust its level relative :to the rotational axis of the seed drum atwhich. thehousing aperture uncovers the drum. outlets as the drumrotates.

2.. An apparatus according to :claim 1, wherein the housing ispivo-tally mounted concentric with" the seed drum. 1

3; An apparatus according to'claim 1, wherein said means comprises'aguide plate slidably mounted between thehousing'and the seed drum andhaving onefree edge constituting said overflow edge.

4. An apparatus according toclaim 3; where'-- in said guide plate isslidably mounted in a groove'on the inner'side'of the housing.

5. An apparatus according to claim 3, whereinthe guide plate completelysurrounds the seed drum and has an aperture corresponding to theaperture in the housing, the lower edge of said aperture forming theoverflow edge.

'6. An apparatus according to claim 1, in which the seed drum has atleast two rows of outlets, andin which the housing is provided with atleast two apertures and is axially displaceable relatively to the seeddrum.

7. An apparatus according to claim6, wherein the seed'drum is adjustablyand axially slidably mounted in the-housing, the seed drum being axiallyfixed.

8. An apparatus according to claim 6 wherein the seed drum has two rowsof outlets provided within the width of an aperture inthe housing.

9. An apparatus according to claim 8, wheree in the outletsin the tworows are mutually dis-. place circumferentially-of the seed drum.

10, An apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the outlets are radiallybored with a diameter corresponding to' the size of the type of seed tobe sown through'the: outlets, saidxoutlets beingchamfered along onekhalfof their circumference opposite: to the interior ofthe housing for theformation of pockets to receivethe seed.

11.. An apparatus according. to claim 2, wheres in the housing: isprovided with a bell crank lever-with notches engageable by thefreeenlarged end of a rod longitudinally slidably and pivotally mountedin the frame of the apparatus.

12.- An apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the rod is threaded for-co-operation with .a threaded hole-:in a member-pivotally mounted inthe frame, .said member being spring urged in' aydirectionto holdthe rodin engagement withsthe lever. GQSTA HYLTEN-CAVALLIU S.

7 REFERENCES CITED The .following; references are of recordinzthe 'fileof this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number I Name Date 1,731,515 Andrews et'al Oct;15, 1929 1,928,908 Palmer Oct. 3, 1933 2,115,167 Hoke Apr. 26, 1933

